During a press conference on Monday, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Natalia Plugaru announced that approximately 660,000–670,000 households will be eligible for financial assistance during the 2026–2027 heating season. The total budget required to cover requests for this season is estimated at 2.6–2.7 billion lei, of which 500 million lei has already been allocated in the state budget for the current year. As in the previous season, compensation will be provided in cash regardless of the household's primary heating source (natural gas, district heating, electricity, or solid fuel, such as firewood). The amount of support is calculated individually for each family based on income, household composition, and the degree of energy vulnerability. The minimum compensation will remain at 500 lei per month, and the maximum at 1,000 lei for households using natural gas or district heating. The maximum limit for heating with electricity or firewood is set at 800 lei per month. Eligibility for compensation and the amount of compensation will be determined automatically through the "Energy Vulnerability" (SIVE) information system, which draws on data from 11 databases maintained by government agencies and energy suppliers. The calculation takes into account the income of household members, the heating method, the social status of residents, heating costs, and other parameters. As Natalia Plugaru noted, the following eligibility criteria will be automatically considered: the total cadastral value of real estate owned by household members must not exceed 1 million lei (verification will be based on the old cadastral value recorded prior to the recent real estate revaluation); the total income of household members from dividends for 2025 must be less than 150,000 lei, and income from interest must not exceed 4,000 lei; the average monthly heating costs for the previous season must be less than the equivalent price of 350 cubic meters of natural gas. A new criterion has also been introduced: the household must not own a car that is less than 3 years old. To receive compensation starting in November, citizens must submit an application on the compensatii.gov.md platform by November 27. Registration will also be available in subsequent months—from the 1st to the 25th of each month—and compensation will be granted starting from the month the application is submitted. To register, you will need to provide identification information for household members, details from energy bills, and information on monthly income for April through September 2026. In some cases, you will also need to provide the amount of your mortgage, the property's cadastral number, and your IBAN bank account number. For citizens who have difficulty with online registration, assistance is available from social workers and specialists at the Unified Service Centers (CUPS). More than 1,300 specialists have been trained for this purpose. Older adults and citizens with limited mobility will be able to use the services of mobile social teams, which will help them complete the application at home. In addition to cash compensation, additional social protection measures are in place for the cold season. Specifically, households will not have their utilities disconnected as long as they pay at least 50% of their bill. The ministry also warned of the risk of fraud when applying for compensation and urged people to use only the official portal, compensatii.gov.md; not to share personal or banking information with unknown individuals; and not to click on suspicious links. Authorized social workers can be identified by their official ID cards and blue vests. For more information on submitting applications, call the toll-free number 0 8000 5000 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or email suport@compensatii.gov.md.// 02.11.2026 — InfoMarket.